Ziggy Reflects
by CanzetYote
Summary: Trust Me I'm A Genie. Oneshot. While alone in his can, Ziggy reflects on his jerkish behavior in the past and starts feeling guilty.


**NOTE:** _Thanks to mojokingkenny1, I got hooked on this 2011 cartoon called Trust Me I'm A Genie. I noticed he had this adorable, vest-wearing purple raccoon in his avatar at FA and asked him about it. Just three days later, I'm already watching it every chance I get at the library and doing fanfiction of it._

_Anyways, this purple raccoon is named Ziggy and after watching a few episodes, he quickly became my favorite character. He's a wish granting genie that comes from a soda can instead of a bottle. He's also the cutest little "Jerkass Woobie" type character I have ever seen (besides Timon from Lion King)._

_I have a headcanon where Ziggy has self-esteem issues and only acts like a sarcastic jerk so he doesn't look insecure to others. I wouldn't be surprised if he was picked on a lot and bullied as a kid. I also have headcanons on the other main characters. The "Boom Town" episode helped fuel this oneshot (particularly the part where Diego's friends talked about escaping the city to live in the oasis, that just opened the door to headcanons for me). I still have yet to see every single episode so hopefully, my headcanons won't get shot down too painfully._

_This entire fic is told through Ziggy's point of view and he does a lot of reflecting on his time at the oasis._

_Feel free to read and review! Enjoy!_

*Ziggy's POV*

I sat alone in the darkness of my soda can cell. Another failed wish, all because my idiot master couldn't follow through with it. Having to depend on him for my freedom. I hated it. Sure, Diego's a nice guy but ever since sand got in my can, I feel like I've been sentenced to a fate worse than death itself.

Am I in some sort of limbo? Did I do anything wrong to deserve all this? I pull out a group photo of my friends and I from the left pocket of my sleeveless vest. Everyone in the picture is smiling except for me. I have this glum, tired look on my face.

Sighing, I put the photo back into my vest and thought about all the failed wishes I've sold to Diego and just how badly they all blew up in our faces. I was mostly on the receiving end of the punishment. At this rate, even if Diego wished for something simple like a glass of lemonade to drink, there would be no way he'd fulfill it.

I don't get it. The first two wishes worked out perfectly yet something as simple as sand can disrupt powerful magic. It makes absolutely no sense to me.

My thoughts then shifted from the wishes and my magic to my behavior. I was awfully...abrasive with things to put it nicely. I would push Diego around, call him names, cheat and lie to him but I did it all for a good cause, right? I just want to be free and independent. I have dreams to chase, I have goals to set, I have a life just like everyone else in the oasis. Was it my selfishness? Was that my downfall all along?

I could feel a lump in my throat as I sniffled softly. All those times Diego and his friends yelled at me played through my mind like a movie. I always got the short end of the stick even though I had magic powers. I blinked at the sting of tears in my eyes. I knew there was no use holding back and without warning, the dam burst.

I hung my head. A salty tear escaped my eye and rolled down my muzzle, dripping from the tip of my pointed nose and hitting the floor of my aluminum prison. The sobs came in full force and the bitter tears streamed down my face like rivers. I wasn't sure exactly why I was crying. Maybe it was because I wanted freedom or maybe it was because I felt so bad for my actions.

I remember the last time I cried before this time and it was over something completely stupid. A song. A freaking SONG made me bawl like a baby. It was a day like any other day, only I decided to get up early and clean up the cafe a little. I turned on the radio for some good work music and it was set on Larry's awful surf music station. I quickly changed it to another station which happened to be a classic rock station. Then, the song came on. "Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who. Immediately, the lyrics of the song captured my attention. It hit so close to home for me, I was the bad man and the sad man. By the middle of the song, I was sobbing and sniffling and by the end of the song, I was bawling my eyes out.

For a good 15 minutes, I cried and Diego actually walked in on me about 8 minutes in and walked outside with me. He put his arm around me and rubbed my back to help soothe my tears. When he asked me what was wrong, I lied and said a sandstorm got dirt in my eyes. I would never admit to crying over something so trivial to my master. After Diego hugged me, neither of us spoke a single word about the incident because of just how awkward it felt. But there was a part of me that craved the camel's touch. Part of me that loved the warmth of the hug. There were times when Diego's kindness and compassion warmed my heart. But it also filled my own heart with jealousy. There was a period where I developed feelings for Diego and nowadays I still have them but he's mortal and I'm a genie. It probably wouldn't work in the long run.

Which reminds me that Diego's friend Joe recently came out of the closet last week. I remember he invited everyone over to the cafe for an important meeting. When everyone was there, Joe finally confessed that the reason he moved out of the city and into the oasis was because his parents kicked him out for being a homosexual. It was the very first time I've seen that snarky, stuck-up know-it-all fox cry. In fact, everyone was shocked when Joe broke down in tears and they were quick to comfort and hug him. I thought of making a gay joke but decided against it because I knew how much Joe hated me to begin with and I didn't want to make things worse. I actually felt a little bad for Joe because normally, he was a grumpy block of ice and usually kept his emotions inside. His boyfriend, Kevin helped him move out to the oasis and like Zazie, he takes online college courses. Also, Joe's teddy bear was a gift from Kevin.

It was then everyone started talking about their reasons for leaving the city for the oasis. I felt a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach as I was reminded of the megacity wish I once granted and just how corrupted I became on that third wish. I was actually willing to tear down the oasis just for the sake of my own freedom. It was one of the very few wishes that I actually apologized for. Not even Diego spoke to me for a while after that happened.

So I listened to everyone tell their story, feeling like a fly on the wall. Everyone was so different and came from different walks of life. It was the most bonding we have ever done before and there was a lot of laughter and tears during the meeting. Zazie was apparently born in the oasis to hippie parents and she moved to the city to go to college. At some point, she decided to drop out and move back out to the boondocks. She was the only one who knew Diego as a child and would often compete with Rita for his affection. She was crushed when he friendzoned her, though in favor of Rita and her heart was broken for a while.

Larry was a surfer who was born in the city. Nothing really exciting happened to him, he was just a jock who wanted to live out in the country.

Sonya grew up in the city, too. She would often practice martial arts and her sensei recommended she leave the city for the oasis to find her inner peace. She followed his advice and moved out. As it turns out, she used to take anger management classes and has chilled out a lot since she moved out of the city.

Tony came from a rich part of the city and moved out to the oasis in hopes of striking it even richer. His family left him with a lot of money when he moved out but most of the money he had went for private tutoring lessons with his caretaker and every once in a while he'd put some money aside for his wide screen TV.

Diego was the only one who never lived in the city at some point. I wasn't surprised to hear this because country boys were never the sharpest tools in the shed. He grew up his entire life in the oasis and went to school together with Zazie and Rita. Diego met Tony first, then Larry, then Sonia, then Joe and finally, that's when Zazie returned and Diego introduced her to his new circle of friends in the oasis.

Me? I was the newest one in Diego's circle of friends. But when Diego turned to me and asked me for my story, I froze up and told him it was nothing important. To tell the truth, my childhood was pretty horrific. I had siblings that would always pick on me and when I got older, the abuse just got worse and worse. They would often electrocute me with magic and lock me in a cage and my mom and dad didn't even care. There were so many nights when I curled up into a ball and cried myself to sleep. My magic was so weak, I could barely even poof up a cookie to eat but then I met a magic teacher, Jack Alakazam, who taught me to channel my inner energy. Jack was a jackal who was also a wizard and he also studied genie magic, telling me to be the best genie I could. He and I grew close until he passed away because he was very old. He was my only childhood friend and I couldn't stop crying when I got the news of his death. No one was there to dry my tears when I mourned his passing because I was all alone once again.

So why wasn't I brave enough to tell all this to Diego and his friends? Joe was brave enough to share his sob story, so I should be comfortable, right? Wrong! Whenever I cry nowadays, it's usually cause I'm throwing a hissy fit over a failed wish. Shedding actual emotional tears is what I do when I'm alone in my can or rarely alone with Diego. There was no way I was going to break down like Joe did in front of everyone. I'm sick and tired of showing weakness. When I get called a lousy genie, it hurts me deeply. I've been called it so many times that I've grown used to it, though. I wish I had the courage to cry in front of everyone like Joe did, but I'm nothing but a spineless coward.

At this point, I have cried for so long and so hard that I'm now sitting in a large puddle of tears. Slowly, I take a handkerchief out of my vest pocket and wipe the tears from my muzzle and cheeks. I gaze at the reflection in the puddle and the face that stares back is that of a jerk, a liar, a thief, a self-centered, loudmouth, hot-tempered, good-for-nothing prick.

"I'm so sorry..." I choke out softly. And yet, I feel like my behavior is justified. Who wouldn't want independence? I do everything in my power to achieve my freedom, even if it means wishes backfiring and hurting my friends. After all, forgive and forget, right?

And if they can't forgive me? It's their fault for not seeing things the way I do. How would they feel if they were trapped to an annoying can?

I sigh, feeling all cried out and yet...all that crying wasn't at all cleansing. The only thing I really want is a hug and a friend to listen to me. Someone to hold me, rub my back and tell me everything will be all right. But nobody wants to love a pathetic jerk like me. I close my eyes and shiver. If only there was someone to hug me, maybe I wouldn't act like such a monster.

I slowly pop out of my can and begin to float about the cafe. Diego was busy making coffee and turned to me, "Good morning, Ziggy. How did you sleep?"

"Like an angel." I replied sarcastically, crossing my arms. But then I forced a smile when I saw the camel smiling back at me, "Diego, you know how I'm a genie and I grant you wishes?"

Diego nodded, "Yeah? But nothings troubling me at the moment."

I nodded, "Well, I was hoping you could grant a wish for me..." I held out my arms and grinned at Diego.

Diego scratched his head, "But I don't have any magic. I can't grant wishes."

I sighed and hung my head, "I wish you would hug me..."

Silence filled the air as I looked up at Diego with the best sad puppydog eyes I could possibly make. The camel slowly approached me and then wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into a big hug. I nuzzled into Diego's shirt, a blush forming on my cheeks. We hugged for about 3 minutes before we finally broke away. I think the reason Diego didn't break away sooner was because he sensed how truly upset I was. My eyes were clearly red from crying and my voice sounded weak and hoarse.

I had a friend in Diego. We were so much more than just genie and master, at this point we've known each other for so long we might as well be brothers. Diego looked at me and sighed, "Ziggy, there's no use hiding it. I know you've been crying. Is something up? Maybe we can talk about what's on your mind."

I drew in a shaky breath and clenched my fists, refusing to make eye contact with my master but instead staring at the ground, "What kind of genie am I if I can't grant a third wish?"

Diego gently patted me on my head, running his hooves through my soft purple fur, "Ziggy, I know how you feel. I know what it's like to feel worthl-"

Instantly, I swatted Diego's hoof aside and turned my head up and glared at him, "NO, YOU DON'T! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT'S LIKE! YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN A CAKEWALK COMPARED TO MINE SO DON'T GIVE ME ANY OF THAT CRAP! You...have...no..."

I collapsed to my knees, gripping Diego's red shirt, sobbing tearlessly. I had been crying so hard before that not a single drop of water escaped my eye. It was completely dry sobs. Diego noticed my absence of tears and got up and pulled a glass out of the cupboard. He filled it up with some water from the sink and handed the glass to me. I greedily gulped down the fresh water before I burst into a fit of coughing. Diego patted my back and I gave him a look of absolute helplessness. I felt like a scared and lost child, begging for its mother and I absolutely HATED that feeling. I'm a powerful and smart genie, not a weak little kid! Yet here my master was, patting my back and trying his best to calm me even though I had just snapped at him, "Sorry about that..."

"It's all right." Diego replied as he patted me on the back, "But if there's something you need to get off your chest, please let me know."

The camel turned to walk away from me. I guess he thought I needed some alone time but then I floated up to him and put my paw on his shoulder, "Diego...actually. Yeah, I have something to talk about."

And so, I took a deep breath and began to explain everything that happened to me. The abuse, the neglect, the loss of my only friend before I met Diego, how weak my magic was and the relentless teasing and bullying I experienced. By the time I finished talking about it, I could feel Diego's arms wrapped around me, squeezing me tightly in a hug. It felt like a massive weight had been lifted. Normally, I wouldn't be so open with my feelings like this. To me, Diego is my special friend. No matter just how badly my magic messes up, I knew he would never abandon me. Especially not after everything I told him. As much as I wanted freedom from my can, I wanted to be with Diego just as much. He brings me so much joy, even though he can be an airhead at times.

Diego smiles at me, gently stroking my fur on top of my head as he speaks, "I'm sorry you had to go through all that, Ziggy. You have every right to be angry, considering what happened."

I shook my head, "No, Diego. Don't be sorry. If anything, it's my fault. I've pulled a lot of dirty tricks just so I could get out of my can finally. I've been a real jerk to everyone."

Diego sighed, "But it's all right, Ziggy. I forgive you. And I'm sure everyone else will when I tell them."

I shook my head rapidly, "Nonononono! Don't tell them! The last thing I want is a pity party. Let's leave all those details between you and me, got it?"

Diego nodded and sighed, "Ziggy, you don't really seem like yourself lately." He put his hoof under my chin and raised my head slowly, "The Ziggy I know doesn't cry and mope like this. He's cheerful and energetic and funny and witty. I know you've had a rough life but try to smile for me, okay? It really scares me to see you this way."

I sniffled and smiled at my master, "All right, how about we go play some video games, ya big lug?"

Diego smiled back at me, "Now THERE'S the Ziggy I know! What game are you feeling like playing?"

I smiled and rubbed my chin a little, "Soul Camelbur IV sounds nice. Just a little warning, though, I'll make mincemeat out of you!"

"Mincemeat? HA! You're nothing but a two-bit button masher!" Diego laughed back at me.

I crossed my arms and glared at the camel, "Button masher? I'll have you know that I've beaten Joe while blindfolded even though he's won several online tournaments!"

Diego chuckled, "Sure you've beaten him...with magic!"

I growled a little, "Are you calling me a cheater? All right, that's it! I'm not gonna hold back this time!"

"Bring it on, small fry!" Diego challenged as we hopped on to the couch and began playing a few rounds of Soul Camelbur IV. Already, my mood had gone from sour to sweet. I even let Diego beat me in a couple rounds while in others, I went all out with my magic. Even though I was cheating, Diego was a good sport and even laughed when he got beaten. Someone you can beat by cheating in a game and they don't get mad at you, now that is what you call a true friend. Diego and I spent the rest of the day playing video games, goofing off and laughing together. Eventually, the sun set on the desert and I retreated to my can to sleep. I just spent the best day of my life and I owe it all to my loving, caring master, Diego.

The end.


End file.
